Lawmakers push for Morsi’s reinstatement

CAIRO – Islamist lawmakers in Egypt’s disbanded upper house of parliament demanded Saturday the army reinstate ousted President Mohammed Morsi and called on other legislatures around the world not to recognize the country’s new military-backed leadership.

Morsi’s supporters, including his Islamist allies, remain steadfast in their rejection of …

Associated Press photo

A supporter of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi poses with a paper mask of Morsi as he and others face Egyptian soldiers Saturday near the presidential palace in Cairo.(Full-size photo)

CAIRO – Islamist lawmakers in Egypt’s disbanded upper house of parliament demanded Saturday the army reinstate ousted President Mohammed Morsi and called on other legislatures around the world not to recognize the country’s new military-backed leadership.

Morsi’s supporters, including his Islamist allies, remain steadfast in their rejection of the military coup that toppled the president nearly two weeks ago after millions took to the street to demand his ouster. They have staged a series of mass protests in Cairo to push their demands and are vowing to stay in the streets until he is returned to office.

Speaking at a mass rally staged by Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, the two dozen former parliamentarians, all Islamist members of the Shura Council dissolved by court order after the coup, accused the military of attempting to restore a “corrupt and dictatorial” regime.

The Brotherhood’s website published a statement by the former lawmakers, in which they said the Shura Council’s dissolution was invalid and claimed to have held a session at the rally.

Morsi was Egypt’s first elected president, succeeding autocrat Hosni Mubarak.